The Utkal Sammilani has opposed the BJD’s decision to support a non-Odia candidate, Ashwini Vaishnaw, to Rajya Sabha.
“The BJD has adequate MLAs to win all three Rajya Sabha seats. It can send three Odia people to the Upper House. It is not understood why it had decided to send a non-Odia to the Rajya Sabha despite getting more than 77 per cent of Assembly seats. It is very disgusting,” said Sammilani Mancheswar Industrial Estate Branch president Dillip Dashsharma on Saturday.
Commenting on the Chief Minister’s clarification that BJD decided to support Vaishnaw following discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Dashsharma said, “The Chief Chief Minister should recall that Modi had not given time to the Assembly Committee for seeking hike in paddy MSP and Shah, being the national president of the BJP, didn’t give any support to Odisha vis-Ã -vis Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh. Sending a non-Odia leader at their wish is condemnable.”